6-wk old runners crashing :: update: necropsy results p. 3

[T Hi]

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss of duck1! '

'

I do believe in adding a little bit of Raw ACV to their drinking water. I do it about every other day or a little less for now. It does help with parasites at this age (my runners are about 4 weeks old) and is good for balancing the digestive system. Just half to a whole cap for a gallon of water.

I have been working very closely with several nutritionists for 2 years because of my own digestive health issues. One of the first things they suggested was Raw ACV. It must have the cloudy gunk stuff at the bottom of the bottle! It stops heartburn and really helps with ulcerative colitis symptoms!! And yes, it will help with parasites in humans too! My parents live in Mexico and use it also!

I also use the Purina Flock Raiser food for my ducklings. It does NOT have enough niacin in it for the young ducks. I went to my naturalpathic/health food store and was able to find powdered brewers yeast. I sprinkle a bit of that and mix it in with their food everyday.

If you got your birds from Holderread's I would also contact Dave and let him know! He could also help!

Enjoy your other little one! Maybe think of getting him a brooder buddy tho! Don't want the little darling to be lonely!!

 

[spamee34]

ah ha ha ha my poor animals I use alot more ACV than that maybe that's where they get their energy from

 

[Inverso]

Thanks all for the kind words.

As much as I'd love another cute penciled runner as a brooder buddy, the next move will probably be to put the fawn/white in with the main flock. She's coming on 2 months of age now--a little earlier than I'd want to put her out of the brooder, but way too big to be in with babies.

I haven't made a sig yet with the details, but I also have 3 EE chickens and 3 miniature Appleyards (2 drakes in a bachelor pen, 1 hen that lives with the chickens). We've had terrific weather this week, so the new girl has been in a spare a-frame tractor in full view of the flock and has had a little supervised time with the older girls. It has all gone really well. The chickens seem a little spooked by her if anything--no chasing, pecking, posturing or anything I could tell. So I'll probably put her in a big cage in the main pen for a couple of days more so she's not feeling alone and then, if all still goes well, let her join the group full time. I want to be sure she's not harboring some lingering infection, of course, so I may keep them separate until the necropsy results come in.

I feel horrible about this, of course, but especially because Dave Holderread was so helpful with my order. I felt like he'd gone to special effort to pick these girls out and get them to me early in the season. He could probably help me learn what went wrong, but I'm just too embarrassed to contact him. (Holderread's is pretty close to me, so it was a pick-up order).

 

[CityChicker]

Don't freeze it!! Whatever you do, do NOT freeze it. Almost any lab is going to want it refrigerated, not frozen. Good luck with the necropsy. I hope they are able to give you some answers and I'm so sorry to hear about your baby.

 

[chickboss]

Don't EVER be embarrassed to contact someone who can give you answers, ideas, advice, ect.!! Do you really think that Dave Hollerread got to where he is without losing a duck or goose. Or with out making mistakes that could've been advoided if only he had done such and such. Having experience means that he has more than likely been there. I think that you should call, tell him the situation, and ask opinions. If there was something you could've done differently isn't it better to know now and learn from the experience rather than wait for the situation to come up again. You did everything that made sense to you to try and save your duck, you, IMO, have no reason to feel bad about anything. She very well could not have been saved no matter what. But if you have the oprotunity to learn, then take it. Sorry for the tiraid, it's just that fear, embarassment and such things block off so much learning. LOL, okay I'm done....

 

[toadbriar]

Quote:
^^^^^^
quoted for truth!

I've been the embarrassed person, and I've been the person who they were too shy to approach. In every situation without fail as person #2 I would strenuously say, don't be shy about it, take a chance to learn. I am so sorry you lost the pencilled, she was a lovely duckling. But from her loss you're gaining Experience, and no doubt in the future you'll be advising someone else in the same situation.

I'm learning a lot from this thread, I'm so sorry she took that turn but thanks so much for documenting it here and for the responses and advice also.

 

[Inverso]

The lab was quick! I took the remains in at 8:30 and got a report by phone just before 2:00.

So... the probable cause of death was systemic bacterial infection. There was inflammation around the heart consistent with E. coli. The antibiotic I used woudn't have been effective with E. coli, but it does make it difficult for a follow-up culture. They've referred me to an avian specialist who will advise me on whether prophylactic antibiotics would be a good idea to protect the rest of the flock. It's disappointing that I picked the wrong bottle at the store, but I'm happy to have an answer.

(extra update: the poultry specialist says that preventative medication is generally NOT indicated unless there are multiple cases of illness in the flock. He says to just keep an eye on them and get a culture if there's more illness to find the right antibiotic. He added that antibiotics given to ducks are almost always an off-label use of the drugs since so few are approved for waterfowl)

 

[L0rraine]

THANK YOU! for this informative update.